I am quite possibly the first 20-something to have done gardening at 8AM on a Sunday…in November. I laughed as, covered from head to toe in several layers of warm clothes, I pulled out weeds from our small patch of grass – how many people in my neighbourhood were even awake at this time on their day off? Let alone doing something active, let alone doing something outside, let alone – gardening at 8AM!

The past week of my 6AM Writing Challenge has brought some surprises. On some days, waking up at 6AM brought me a bundle of energy which made me very productive and very optimistic. Other days, waking up at 6AM meant that by mid-day all I wanted was to go back to bed and screw the rest of the working day, which was barely just beginning. And, of course, there were days when I was awake for so long (twenty hours) that I simply didn’t manage to get up at 6AM the next day.

However, no matter what time I woke up, I still wrote for an hour before starting my day. And this has made me realise that only doing something I love could make me accomplish things I never thought I could accomplish. For example, while working as a freelance editor from home last year, I never managed to wake up at a reasonable time. And I never managed to motivate myself to do it, no matter how much I persuaded myself to ‘wake up earlier tomorrow’. Why? Because my work didn’t inspire me or fill me with joy or even interest me enough to be of more importance than a few extra hours in a warm bed.

But writing is. Because it has been the only thing that has motivated me to get up in the cold and dark for the past three weeks.

So what do I write about while most of the people I know are still sleeping? I have mostly been writing Morning Pages, because it is still difficult for me to get my brain or creativity going so early in the morning. However, I hope that as soon as the habit sets in, I will be able to move on to writing something that requires more concentration and effort.

One more week left of the 6AM Writing Challenge, and this week I am determined to not make any exceptions to waking up at 6AM every day.

A few months ago, I would’ve mumbled a sorry excuse in answer to their question – something along the lines of “I love writing, but….”.

Today, I am able to say “Yes, I write. I write every day.”

This realisation hit me with shock, surprise and a feeling of immense well-being, like jumping into freezing water after a hot sauna.

I write!I said to myself.

I write every day!I exclaimed in my head, barely believing my own words.

I love writing and I write every day! I repeated over and over again.

I am no longer the girl who “does not have time to write”, or the girl who “has run out of inspiration”. I am no longer envying those with a regular writing practice or wondering when I’ll finally start creating something.

Now, I make time and I invite inspiration; I keep up a regular practice and I am creating every day.

Every day, I put pen to paper. Every day, I invent, or describe, or tell. Every day, I do what I love.

Love Out Loud was recently awarded the One Lovely Blog Award by the awesome ToeMail!

“We appreciate the time and energy it takes to run a good blog and so we have nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award! We would be honored if you accept this award!”

ToeMail is one of the most original blogs I have come across. Posting photos of toes in the most diverse places on Earth, ToeMail never fails to surprise and entertain. ToeMail has inspired many of my own photos and has made me discover a whole new creative way of capturing memories!

As part of the award, I am to share 7 things about myself with my readers:

Three months ago, I started the 120–Day “Do What You Love” Challenege, in which I decided to write every day for 120 days. The creator of the challenge – Pollyana Darling – recently sent me a few questions about my progress, and I’d like to share my answers with you.

Have you completed your challenge every day in the last forty days?No, there were a few days when I did not write. I can give all the excuses I want about it, but the truth is – I simply did not make the time to write. In my last month of the challenge I must force myself to write, even when circumstances make it difficult to do so!

Have you noticed any repeating patterns in your creative/learning process? If so what are they?

For the whole duration of the challenge, I have written mostly in the evening before bed. This means that I didn’t have as much time or energy to write. I have yet to learn to prioritise writing as my first activity of the day!

How have you broken through any challenges you have faced?

1) The challenge of motivating myself to write every day.

2) The challenge of setting aside time to write every day.

3) The challenge of letting myself write what I feel like writing, without setting myself limits or giving myself rules.

What is your relationship to doing your Challenge each day (what do you think/feel about it)?

I love it! Writing gives meaning to my days. I look forward to the moment when I can sit down and write; I really enjoy these moments of creation.

Has your relationship to your activity changed over the last 80 days?

Yes. At first, it was difficult to get into the habit of writing every day and now I cannot imagine a day without writing.

Have you noticed any improvements/changes in your activity since you began the Challenge? If so, what?

I have noticed that practice is the only path to good writing.

What are you doing differently now that you didn’t do before the Challenge (can be related to the Challenge or not)?

It’s not what I do that is different, it’s what I think that is different. The challenge has made me realise that writing is a very big part of my life and I am now accepting this completely. I think writing, so I live writing, so I am writing.

How do you feel about finishing the Challenge?

It is not finishing the challenging that arouses the most emotion in me, it is having started it in the first place that gives me the most joy.